Mo Hua finally confirmed that Sever Gold Sect had seemingly given up on competing with Taixu Gate within the mountain.
Of course, there remained one exception.
That exception was Song Jian.
One day, while Mo Hua was entering the mountain, Song Jian and seven or eight others ambushed him.
Yet Mo Hua felt no fear.
Because now, in the Outer Mountain of Refining Demon Mountain, one whistle from him could summon seventeen or eighteen Taixu Gate disciples.
What’s more, seven or eight Foundation Building Middle Phase cultivators were powerless to block him.
Song Jian pointed at Mo Hua, furious:
"I know it now—you’re Mo Hua!"
"You’re the one who stole my Sever Gold Sword!"
"Cheng Mo, that big oaf, isn’t the leader here—you’re the one!"
"You’re their ’Junior Brother’!"
Mo Hua looked slightly surprised. This fool... wasn’t as dim-witted as he imagined?
"And so?" Mo Hua asked.
Song Jian bristled with rage. "Return my Sever Gold Sword, or you’re dead for sure!"
Mo Hua pondered briefly and asked:
"If I return your sword, will you stop bothering me?"
Song Jian initially wanted to snarl, "Of course not."
The grudge between them ran deep.
But since the Spirit Sword was still in Mo Hua’s possession, and considering "one must bow beneath the eaves," Song Jian suppressed his fury and said, "If you return my Sever Gold Sword, all prior grudges will be forgiven."
"Alright!"
Mo Hua agreed readily.
He hadn’t originally planned to return it.
But reconsidering, he realized he had extrapolated the Gold-Cutting Sword Formation from Song Jian’s Sword Qi and tested the effectiveness of the Gold-Cutting Armor using him.
Song Jian had inadvertently provided immense help to him.
Though the man himself likely remained unaware.
Having received such help, he figured a gesture of reciprocity wouldn’t hurt.
Mo Hua tossed over a twisted, blackened blade, its edges warped and the body shattered—"scrap metal."
"There, returned," Mo Hua said.
Song Jian took the scrap metal, his face boiling with anger. "I want my Sever Gold Sword—what is this rubbish?!"
Mo Hua sighed and revealed the harsh truth:
"This IS your Sever Gold Sword..."
Song Jian lowered his gaze and noticed the familiar sword patterns etched on its remains. That sense of connection he felt while holding it—so distinct—hit him like thunder.
"This IS your Sever Gold Sword..."
The words echoed repeatedly in his ears.
Song Jian stood there, dazed, his face pale as stone weathered by countless storms.
When he finally regained his senses, he began to rage.
"I’ll kill you!!"
Song Jian grasped the sword and scanned the vicinity, but by then, no sign of Mo Hua remained.
Mo Hua had already fled to some obscure corner.
With fury surging through him, and his whole body trembling, Song Jian roared toward the heavens:
"Damn you, Mo Hua! This life and the next, I swear to never reconcile with you!!"
"...No coexistence under the same sky!!!"
The roar reverberated across Refining Demon Mountain.
Walking leisurely along the trails, Mo Hua heard it but paid no heed.
Though Song Jian’s cultivation wasn’t weak and his swordsmanship decent, compared to someone who had gutted the Fire Buddha, it was just laughable.
Should he truly wish to exploit Song Jian, countless methods came to mind.
Besides, as a Sever Gold Sect disciple, Song Jian’s conflicts with Taixu Gate were trifling; he hardly met the threshold of truly unforgivable evil.
If, someday, Song Jian indeed tread the path of unforgivable sin and foolishly stood against him, Mo Hua would certainly retaliate without mercy.
But that was something for the future.
For now, Mo Hua had more pressing matters to attend to.
At present, a substantial chunk of the Outer Mountain area of Refining Demon Mountain had come under Taixu Gate’s control.
As luck had it, Mo Hua happened to be on the mountain and intended to practice the "Divine Sense Sword Control" technique.
He wanted to test his Sword Control’s power, speed, and reach—then refine flying swords tailored to the skill.
On this day of Rest Week, Mo Hua woke early, gathered several broken swords obtained from Master Gu, and headed straight to Refining Demon Mountain.